CIMMfest — Chicago International Movies & Music Festival

Is this your first Lolla? If not, how many years have you been here?
This is the third Lollapalooza that CIMMfest will have a booth on Green Street.

What will we find at your Lollapalooza booth?
Besides information about the festival and a chance to get involved in our vibrant and growing organization, we are engaged in a community project called “Music is….”. We will be recording all the answers provided for later use in an interactive, 3D light projection after sunset. Lolla attendees can visit the booth and play with their digitally reconstructed image through a hacked Microsoft Kinect 3D imager and a deep field screen. All recorded and pushed through the CIMMfest social networks and website. It sounds confusing. It will be awesome.

Where are you from, what do you do, and how long have you been doing it?
Chicago, we produce CIMMfest, we are entering our sixth year.

What are you doing to save the planet and/or the human race?
Music has the power to save us by revealing our commonality. By sitting in a dark theater or crowded arena, we share an experience like no other. Music is the only expression in existence that speaks to the joy of life, the delirium of being human. We celebrate that power, the menace and the magic on stage and on screen.

Other than your own, what’s one other organization that you think is doing really cool things under the radar that folks should know about?
Kuumba Lynx (kuumbalynx.org)

What band(s) are you hoping to sneak away from your booth to see?
The Cure

Green Mountain Energy Company

Is this your first Lolla? If not, how many years have you been here?
Over the past six years, Green Mountain Energy Company has worked with C3 Presents to track and offset Lollapalooza’s carbon footprint. C3 offsets the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions created by the event’s generators, staff travel, artist travel and festival vehicles, but to help Lollapalooza attendees take one step further toward saving the planet, Green Mountain is inviting festival attendees to tread lightly to Lollapalooza.

What will we find at your Lollapalooza booth?
At the Green Mountain Energy booth, festival-goers can purchase a $3 carbon offset, which balances out 220 pounds of CO2 associated with traveling to the festival. That’s as much CO2 as not driving a car 245 miles or as much as 20 young trees can absorb in one year! This is the ticket to a truly green Lollapalooza experience. Plus, Green Mountain will have a photo opportunity and free fans for those who purchase.

Where are you from, what do you do, and how long have you been doing it?
Green Mountain is a renewable energy leader. Based in Austin, Texas, Green Mountain was founded in 1997 on the mission to change the way power is made, and since then has helped its collective customers avoid over 24.5 billion pounds of CO2 emissions.

What are you doing to save the planet and/or the human race?
Green Mountain serves residents in deregulated electricity markets around the nation, including Chicago, with 100-percent-renewable electricity service. You can learn more or sign up at www.greenmountain.com.

Other than your own, what’s one other organization that you think is doing really cool things under the radar that folks should know about?
We’re looking forward to checking out all of the booths on Green Street—it’s full of some truly amazing organizations.

What band(s) are you hoping to sneak away from your booth to see?
Every band is our favorite because their travel is all carbon neutral! Thanks to C3’s efforts to reduce the festival’s impact.

Headcount

Is this your first year at Lolla?
This isn’t our first rodeo! HeadCount has been registering voters at Lollapalooza since 2008!

What will we find at your Lolla booth?
HeadCount unleashes the power of musicians and fans to make a difference. At Lolla, we’ll be making noise that can be heard all the way to Washington. Stop by our booth, take a photo message about what’s important to YOU, and we’ll tweet it directly at your Congressional Rep.

Where are you from, what do you do, and how long have you been doing it?
HeadCount is a nationwide network of volunteers and musicians. Since 2004, we registered more than 250,000 voters at concerts and music festivals. HeadCount makes it easy to get behind the things you believe in, whether through voting, volunteering, or speaking out on an issue important to you. Our goal is to ensure that members of our community—musicians and everyone inspired by them—are driving social and political change.

What are you doing to save the planet and/or the human race?
HeadCount motivates people to step beyond voting, to be informed, active citizens. Through active participation in our democracy, we can create change we all believe in.

Other than your own, what’s one other organization that you think is doing really cool things under the radar that folks should know about?
They’re already pretty well known by the music world, but everyone should know all about Reverb.

Love Hope Strength

Is this your first Lolla? If not, how many years have you been here?
We are Lolla veterans! This will be our fourth year at Lolla and we couldn’t be more excited to be back and SAVING LIVES, ONE CONCERT AT A TIME!

What will we find at your Lollapalooza booth?
Love Hope Strength is the world’s leading rock ‘n’ roll cancer foundation. We partner with music festivals and artists (we’re currently on tour with Robert Plant, O.A.R., G Love and Special Sauce, Fastball, Gin Blossoms, Nonpoint, and many more) to swab the cheeks of their awesome fans to find matches for those in need of a marrow transplant.

Where are you from, what do you do, and how long have you been doing it?
Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Love Hope Strength (LHS) is an international, music-centric cancer charity dedicated to saving lives, one concert at a time. The mission is to save lives, right now, with the advances that have already been made in cancer care. We do not fund cancer research, rather we use our funds to build awareness to global cancer needs, build and support cancer centers around the globe and build international marrow databases through our “GET ON THE LIST” campaign. As of 2010, cancer is now the world’s #1 killer and will touch each and every one of us in our lifetime. It is a global issue in need of support from a worldwide network. In 2007, LHS was co-founded by leukemia survivors Mike Peters of the Welsh rock band The Alarm and President of CSI Entertainment James Chippendale who believe that awareness, early detection and proper treatment should not be a luxury and wanted to find a way to ensure that all people have access to the same resources that saved their lives.

What are you doing to save the planet and/or the human race?
We’re adding people to the bone marrow registry right here at Lolla!!!!! Stop by, get swabbed and you could possibly save someone’s life. To date we’ve added over 40,000 to the marrow registry and found over 600 matches for those needing a transplant… and twelve of those matches have been found RIGHT HERE AT LOLLA!!!!!

Here’s a quick snapshot of what else we’ve accomplished so far: Purchased the first mammography machine for the country of Nepal. Purchased the first brachytherapy (internal radiation) machine for the country of Nepal. Funded a new wing for a cancer care center in Wales. Purchased the first peripheral stem cell transplant equipment for Wales. Purchased a transport vehicle for a children’s cancer center in New Jersey. Brought supplies to cancer centers in need around the world. Hosted the first saliva-based bone marrow registration drives in the UK and the first ever marrow drive at The House of Commons. Opened a Mexico office to begin hosting marrow drives in that country. Funded the making of “Everest Rocks,” a documentary on cancer survivorship airing on Palladia and NBC Universal Sports. Funded the first three dedicated children’s cancer wards in east Africa. Funded two doctors for the Love Hope Strength cancer wards in Tanzania. Funded “More to Live For,” an award-nominated film highlighting the need and ease of bone marrow registration. Working with the International Coalition of Cancer (UICC) to make saliva-based marrow registration a global initiative.

Other than your own, what’s one other organization that you think is doing really cool things under the radar that folks should know about?
Imerman Angels (imermanangels.org), a great organization with a great cause. Please check them out and support them however you can.

What band(s) are you hoping to sneak away from your booth to see?
The Postal Service, The Dunwells, Queens of the Stone Age… just to name a few.

ONE

Is this your first Lolla? If not, how many years have you been here?
We are incredibly thankful to the Lolla organizers for having us at the festivals for more years than we can remember.

What will we find at your Lollapalooza booth?
Friendly faces, free wristbands and opportunities to save millions of lives through easy, free advocacy actions.

Where are you from, what do you do, and how long have you been doing it?
ONE was co-founded by Bono about ten years ago. We are based in DC but work through amazing volunteers around the country. Our Chicago crew are some of the best!

What are you doing to save the planet and/or the human race?
We mobilize people to write letters, make phone calls and sign petitions, to help fight extreme poverty and preventable disease around the world.

Other than your own, what’s one other organization that you think is doing really cool things under the radar that folks should know about?
RESULTS (results.org). They are great folks doing amazing work.

What band(s) are you hoping to sneak away from your booth to see?
Mumford & Sons, The Lumineers, Thievery Corporation, Cat Power

Oxfam America

Is this your first Lolla? If not, how many years have you been here?
This is the first time since 2006 that I have been to Lollapalooza. I am stoked to be here to represent the Oxfam America and the Chicago Oxfam Action Corps!

What will we find at your Lollapalooza booth?
We just celebrated the second birthday of our GROW campaign! One of the exciting features of our GROW campaign is our new Behind the Brands scorecard. Our organization scored the top-ten largest food and beverage companies in areas like climate, land, water, women, small-scale farmers. We want to remind consumers, whether they enjoy Cat Power or Kendrick Lamar, that they can expect more from large companies that make billions! Come test your knowledge and learn more about how your favorite brands scored! We will also have a memorable photo op.

Where are you from, what do you do, and how long have you been doing it?
Born and raised in Naperville, I love the city of Chicago. I’ve work as a research scientist for the past three years. However, when I am not working I love being a volunteer co-organizer for the Chicago Oxfam Action Corps. I have been volunteering with Oxfam America for several years.

What are you doing to save the planet and/or the human race?
Oxfam is about doing… we get out there and educate people to make shifts in legislation, corporate upstream practices and individual choices. We recently fought a huge battle for food aid reform in the House and Senate. Now, we are joining with fellow consumers to demand better company policies with Behind the Brands. As an international organization, we have also supported the UN Arms Trade Treaty earlier this year and now we are focused on better human rights practices in Syria. In general, big or small, we tackle issues to end poverty, hunger and injustice. Our organization truly believes everyone deserves better.

Other than your own, what’s one other organization that you think is doing really cool things under the radar that folks should know about?
Food Tank in Chicago (foodtank.org), spearheaded by Danielle Nierenberg and Ellen Gustafson, is an amazing new food think tank. This organization focuses on food policy to mend the currently broken food system. It is an organization for farmers, producers, policy makers, researchers, academics and journalists to organize and determine sustainable solutions for our current food system issues. Of course, we must also mention the well-established Slow Food Chicago (slowfoodchicago.org). We just volunteered with them in one of the many community gardens in Chicago. We look forward to hosting World Food Day and GROW dinners with them this fall.

What band(s) are you hoping to sneak away from your booth to see?
I can’t wait to dance with Flux Pavilion, and rock out with Nine Inch Nails!

Rock the Vote

Is this your first Lolla? If not, how many years have you been here?
No, we’ve been here every year since 1991! So excited to be returning.

Where are you from, what do you do, and how long have you been doing it?
Rock the Vote is coming to Chi-town from Washington, DC. We’re a national non-partisan organization dedicated to building the political power of young people. For two-plus decades, we’ve been using music, popular culture, new technologies and old-fashioned grassroots organizing to register, educate and mobilize young people to participate in our country’s democracy.

What are you doing to save the planet and/or the human race?
Registering and empowering young people! Young people are the future; and as they recognize and own their power, there’s no doubt they will bring about great social, political and economic change in our country.

Other than your own, what’s one other organization that you think is doing really cool things under the radar that folks should know about?
HeadCount. 🙂 They are awesome and always pushing the envelope on cool.

What band(s) are you hoping to sneak away from your booth to see?
So many! Here are just a few: Steve Aoki, Band of Horses, Tegan and Sara, The Killers, Kendrick Lamar, Haim, Theophilus London, Lana Del Rey

T.J. Martell Foundation

Is this your first Lolla? If not, how many years have you been here?
Yes, this is the Foundation’s first Lollapalooza. We are so excited to be here!

What will we find at your Lollapalooza booth?
Calling all music lovers… we will be giving away cool guitar picks and for a small donation you get one of our special download cards with music by Walk the Moon, Kodaline, and more! Need help protecting yourself from the sun? Stop by our booth and grab some free sunscreen!

Where are you from, what do you do, and how long have you been doing it?
We are the T.J. Martell Foundation, the Music Industry’s #1 charity that focuses on raising money for leukemia, cancer and AIDS research at twelve hospitals nationwide.

What are you doing to save the planet and/or the human race?
We raise money through special events and initiatives in Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas, Atlanta and Nashville. The Foundation was founded in 1975, since then we have raised more than $250 million for a cure!

Other than your own, what’s one other organization that you think is doing really cool things under the radar that folks should know about?
MusiCares (grammy.org/musicares)

What band(s) are you hoping to sneak away from your booth to see?
Eric Church, The Lumineers and Mumford

Urban Habitat Chicago

Is this your first Lolla? If not, how many years have you been here?
Newbies? Never! We rocked out at Lolla last year, too.

What will we find at your Lollapalooza booth?
Awesomeness! Plants, seeds and other cool earthly wonders.

Where are you from, what do you do, and how long have you been doing it?
UHC was formed in 2004 by a handful of like-minded individuals taking classes at Chicago’s Center for Green Technology who were not satisfied with simply learning about sustainability but who wanted to put these principles into action through actual projects. We provide “hands-on” training in environmental issues and urban agriculture through school programs, and adult workshops, tours and volunteer days at our teaching farm and other sites. Our organic farm sites provide food to Chicago’s needy through food pantries and hunger organizations, as well as to the families of youth and adult students and volunteers.

What are you doing to save the planet and/or the human race?
UHC is all about saving the planet AND the human race. We enable people to make direct environmental and social change. Most of our past Urban Habitat Chicago Institute participants have gone on to create their own farming projects—or to teach others how to! So, people are leading healthier lives and becoming stewards of the environment. Our impact stretches across Chicago’s North, South and West sides. Plus, we’ve implemented projects in Haiti, Peru, the Bahamas and Guatemala.

Other than your own, what’s one other organization that you think is doing really cool things under the radar that folks should know about?
Empowerment through Education and Exposure (eeeyouth.org) is another local organization that is working hard to make a huge social change. They provide educational services and resources to at-risk Chicago youth, and they happen to be one of our partners.

What band(s) are you hoping to sneak away from your booth to see?
The Cure, Kendrick Lamar, Ben Howard

Working Bikes

Is this your first Lolla? If not, how many years have you been here?
Yep, this is my first Lolla, although this is the second year that Working Bikes will have a booth on Green Street.

What will we find at your Lollapalooza booth?
Bike machines—stationary bikes that power a record player or spin a globe as you ride. They demonstrate how bikes can be used to generate electricity in places where there are no other sources of power. They’re also a great opportunity to burn off some of the beverage calories Lolla guests may be accruing, while enjoying some Motown or reggae vinyls.

Where are you from, what do you do, and how long have you been doing it?
I grew up in Chicago. Since May I’ve been the communications and development coordinator at Working Bikes, which means I answer emails, coordinate volunteers and events, and develop strategies for getting more bikes.

What are you doing to save the planet and/or the human race?
Working Bikes rescues discarded bicycles and gives them new life by redistributing them as tools of empowerment in local and global communities. We donate over 6,000 bicycles each year to partner organizations in Africa, the Caribbean, Central America and Chicago. In the communities to which we give donations, a bicycle can be the difference between work and unemployment, mobility and immobility.

Other than your own, what’s one other organization that you think is doing really cool things under the radar that folks should know about?
The Plant (plantchicago.com), a closed-loop food production and small business center in an old factory in Chicago’s Back of the Yards neighborhood. Their goal is to promote sustainable economic development. It’s just a neat place to be. They accept volunteers twice a week and I’m hoping to drop in to help out soon!